Prescot Roll of Honour

Service Details

Thomas Hayes was born in Prescot in 1893. At the time of the 1901 Census, 8 year old Thomas lived with his grandparents, John and Susan Hayes, in Thornton, Lancashire. By the 1911 census, he was serving with the Border Regiment, aged 18, and was based at the Regimental Depot in Carlisle.

Thomas' number of 9956 was issued early in 1911, confirming that he was a pre-war regular soldier with the Battalion.

On the outbreak of war in August 1914, the Battalion was based at Maymyo in Burma. As soon as Territorial forces could be despatched to replace them, they returned to England, leaving Burma on 9th December 1914 and arriving at Avonmouth on 10th January 1915 before moving to Rugby.

The Battalion was then kitted out and trained, initially for service in France, before eventually leaving Avonmouth on 17th March 1915. They sailed via Malta, Egypt and Mudros before landing at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, on 25th April 1915.

In his book, 'Glory Is No Compensation - The Border Regiment at Gallipoli, 1915', Ralph May wrote of the Battalion on Gallipoli, 'Entrenched 25-27 April - First Battle of Krithia 28 April - entrenched from Gully Ravine to sea 28-29 April - Brigade Reserve in Gully Ravine to 2 May'.

Firstworldwar.com says of thee First Battle of Krithia, 'Hunter-Weston initiated what became the first of three battles of Krithia at 8am on 28 April 1915 with a moderate bombardment. The British attacked the extreme left of the Turkish line while French forces under General d'Amade attacked the extreme right. The intention was to progress up the spine of the peninsula and capture Krithia from the rear.

Both attacks were however readily repulsed in spite of encouraging initial progress. Indeed the British line to the left actually broke in the face of a Turkish bayonet charge and had to be rescued with a prolonged off-shore bombardment from HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Attacks at the centre of the line, opposed by a mere 200 Turkish troops, were nevertheless also thrown back with great loss. Realising the futility of his position Hunter-Weston consequently abandoned the attack at 6pm. His troops returned to the trenches they had left in the morning.

Allied casualties during the battle were heavy, with approximately 3,000 losses from the original force of 14,000."

The reality of the grim life on the beaches of Gallipoli was now realised - the 1st Battalion, Border Regiment, lost 27 men on the day that they landed, 5 more the following day and then a further 44 in the attack of the 28th, including Thomas Hayes.

Just 8 of these men have a known grave (all in Pink Farm Cemetery). The other 68 are recorded on the Helles Memorial.


The "Register of Soldiers' Effects" shows that Thomas' next of kin was his Aunt, Elizabeth Chantler.

Thomas Hayes Medal Index Card showing his arrival in Gallipoli on 25th April 1915, just three days before he was killed

Thomas Hayes' inscription on the Helles memorial